Watch



March 24, 1925.

yv. SENN WATCH Filed July 7, 1923 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

WERNER SENN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WATCH.

Application filed July 7, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TVERNER SENN a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in atches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of horology, and has particular reference to the provision of novel and improved means for the setting ,of the hands of watches and the winding of the mainspring thereof.

In conventional forms of wrist watches, considerable difliculty and inconvenience is experienced in manipulating the well-known stein set and stem winding devices, and it is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a more desirable means for accomplishing these functions.

Another object of the invention is to provide hand setting and spring winding devices for watches which embody the desired qualities of durability and simplicity of construction.

lVith the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the views,

The figure is a somewhat diagran'nnatic view, partly in plan and partly in section, illustrating spring winding and hand set ting devices constructed in accordance with the present invention.

In the drawings, 5 indicates the watch case which is preferably of arcuate form in section, 6 indicates the spring barrel of the mainspring of the watch, and 7 denotes the spring shaft thereof. In accordance with the present invention, the watch case 5 is provided with a circumferentially eXtending elongated slot 8 at one sidethereof and a slide block 9 is disposed against and fits the internal face of the case 5, as shown in Figure 1. An arcuate slide 10 is disposed against the outer surface of the case 5 and connected with the block 9 by any suitable means, such as a bolt or screw 11, which extends through the slot 8. This arcuate slide piece 10 has a reduced portion 12 slid- Serial No. 650,023.

ably disposed in the slot 8 and into which the bolt or screw 11 is threaded, whereby the members 9 and 10 are effectively connected and held into engagement with the faces of the watch case. For convenience in sliding the member 10, the latter is provided with a raised finger portion 12 preferably disposed centrally of its length as shown. A bell crank lever 13 is pivoted to the frame ofthe watch as at 14, and one arm of the same is extended in an elongated opening 15 of the slide 9 so that when this block is moved, the bell crank lever 13 is rocked. The opposite ends of the opening 15 are beveled as seen. The other arm of the bell crank lever 13 is provided with a segment gear 16, and a spur gear 17 is mounted upon the shaft 7 of the spring barrel so as to mesh with the segment gear 16 as shown. The mounting of the gear 17 includes a ratchet mechanism generally denoted by the numeral 18, by means of which the shaft 7 will be rotated when the gear 17 is moved in one direction, but which permits free movement of the gear 17 in the reverse di' rection without turning or influencing the shaft 7. In view of this construction, it will be seen that mere reciprocation of the actuating slide 10 will result in effective and easy winding of the mainspring, which is retained in wound position by the usual pawl and ratchet mechanism.

The hand setting mechanism embodies the usual gear 22 of the shaft carrying the hands 23 and meshing with another gear 2& disposed beside the gear 22. In accord ance with the present invention an arm 25 is pivoted at one end, as at 26, to the frame of the watch for swinging movement toward and away from the gear 24, and this arm has a gear 27 rotatably mounted thereon as at 28 in position to move toward and away from the gear 2% for meshing therewith or disengaging therefrom. This gear 27 is norn'ially held in an outward position out of mesh with the gear 24 by means of a resilient spring 29 fixed at one end to the frame of the watch, as at 30, and having its other end disposed in engagement with the upturned free end portion 31 of the arm 25. This side of the watch case is provided with a circumferentially extending elongated slot 32, and a segmental rack bar 33 is disposed adjacent this slot against the inner surface of the watch case. The teeth of the rack bar are in mesh with the teeth the finger-piece 38 is radially n'ioval'ile.v

of the gear as shown, so: that reciprocate t1on of the rack bar Wlll cause rotation ot the gear 27.

An arcuate operating slide 34 isdisposed against the outer surface of the case 5 and connected with the rack bar 33 by means of screws 35 or the like, whereby said rack bar is held in place to a certain extent, as the heads of the screws 35 are positioned in -socltets 36 in the-outer surfaceot the rack bar .33 and extend: through the slot 32 as Well as being threaded into the slide 34:;- The central portion of the rack bar '33 is provided with a threadedsocket into which is screwed a stem 37 which has a button or fingerpiece 38 fixed upon the outer end. thereot, which. button is movable radially in the slide 34: for forcing the stem 37 inwardly and correspondingly moving; therack bar 33 a-nd: gear 27 so as tomesh the spaced relation to the outer surtaceof: the watch case 5, andthe operating SllClG" 341s provided witlr a socket as at 39 in which From the above description it will be seenthat the gear 27 1s normally out of mesh with the gear-24: so as to permit free move ment of the hands 23- in the usual! manner under the lIlfiUQIlGB of the ma lnsprlng through the usual gearing, not showm If:

it is desiredto set the hands, the user Slhle ply presses inwardliy on the button 38 so: asto move the. raclr bar 33 inwardly, there;--

bycausing movement oi the gear 27 in.- wardly 1nto engagement with the gear 24;

The-operating slid'e 3a is thenmoved in one: direction so as to cause the gear 21 to be rotated and; its rotation is imparted-to the .gear 24L for rotating the hands; The pressure on the finger piece-or knob 33 is then released so to allow the gear 27 to disengage from the gear 24, whereupon the slide 34n1ay be returned to the other end of the 'slot. By repeating the above operation of the slide 34, the hands will be moved to the required extent for properly setting the.

same.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention: will be readily understood and ap" preciated: by those skilled in the art, it be ingnoted that the slide pieces-10 and 34 are made of suiticient length as to cover the slots 8 and 32- in: all positions of the same, thusexcluding dust and dirt vfrom the watch movement.

7 Minor changes m'ay be made Without departing from the spirit and scope ot the invention as claimed.

Having: thus described my invention-,- what I claim asnew and desire 'tosecure by Letters. Patent is Y Ina Wat-ch having a main spring barrel provided with a Winding s-hatt, a gear having aratchet connection-with said shaft, a

bell crank lever pivoted in the watch casmg and having a segmental gear upon one end 111, mesh wath the teeth of said gear; a

slide,- said watch including. a casing of arcua-te formprovided with acircumferentially extending elongated slotwith' Whichsaid slide cooperates, said slide having an elongated openingg' adapted to register with said slot and the opposite end of said opening being-beveledgthe adjacent arm oat the afores-aid bell. crank lever being disposed in said opening, and; means upon the exterior or the atclr for reciprocating saldslide.v

In testimony whereof- I affix my signature;

WERNER SEN-N, 

